Starts With Goodbye
by jentrem99
Summary: Harry goes back to Hogwarts after the war and he reccolects all of the times he's had there. Then, he lets go and begins his life. Just a cute story I decided to write. One-shot. Give it a chance, please!


**This story is kind of random, but I was watching the Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family and I decided to write a little pointless one-shot. I know not many people read these so thanks for reading it! Enjoy!**

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Harry circled the Hogwarts grounds. He had no idea _why_ he needed to torture himself that way. Everywhere he looked memories flooded his mind and his heart shattered all over again. Harry had been through so much in his life: dangerous adventures, forbidden travels, witnessing deaths, _causing_ deaths, and many more horrible things. During all of that, Hogwarts had been his safe harbor. He, normally, was untouchable there. Once a year or so, Harry would encounter a life threatening situation or two, but other than that he was normally safe with Dumbledore's protection. Harry loved Hogwarts. I was his home. The Dursley's home had been nothing to him, just a place to stay while he couldn't be at Hogwarts.

Walking around Hogwarts and seeing it ruined was a heart breaking experience for Harry. Harry reached the Forbidden Forest and halted. He touched a tree that was seared, burned in the war. His mind flashed back to his first year when he and Malfoy had nearly been attacked by Voldemort. Malfoy had been terrified. Harry chuckled, recollecting how Malfoy had whimpered in fear. Of course he wasn't a fearless eleven-year-old, but he wasn't nearly as scared as Malfoy. He also remembered that odd encounter with Crouch fourth year while he and Krum were talking about Hermione. Crouch was insane. Then, later, he showed up dead. After chipping off some charred bark, Harry continued walking.

Hagrid's hut. Crushed, burned, decimated, demolished, deplored, gone. Harry saw Fang running around it and howling. Not unlike Harry, Fang's home had been trespassed on and wrecked. Fang buried his nose in the singed rubble and moved it around as if trying to reconstruct the hut by shifting the ruins. So many memories: the birth of Norbert—or Norberta—in first year, talking about Snape and the Sorcerer's Stone, talking about giants and Hagrid's mission to recruit them. As Harry recalled all of the discussions and laughs that were shared in that hut, he couldn't help but feel that they were lost by the annihilation of the small home. Harry sighed and sauntered on.

Harry hiked up the hill that led to Hagrid's hut. He stopped in the spot where he, Ron, and Hermione had a go with Malfoy. Harry cackled when he remembered Hermione's wicked punch to Malfoy's face.

From the top of the hill, Harry gazed at the Shrieking Shack. The powerful flashbacks that he encountered made him stumble. His heartwarming talk with Sirius, Lupin going all werewolf, Pettigrew escaping. Harry growled at the memory and turned on his heel and entered the castle.

When he reached the Great Hall, he didn't stop or even glance into the grand room. He couldn't bare to see all of the dead, empty bodies laying there. So many people died far too young. Harry sighed and walked so fast that he was nearly jogging to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady was snoring away. Harry cleared his throat.

"Wh—what? Yes, Peeves, I am aware that Potter defeated "old Voldy" as you say!" the Fat Lady exclaimed sleepily.

"Uh—," Harry mumbled.

"Oh, Potter. Sorry. Congratulations, by the way. Way to—uh—kill Voldemort," the Fat Lady said.

"Er—thanks. Can I enter?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, sure." The Fat Lady swung open and started snoring before she was fully closed.

Harry heaved a hefty sigh as his eyes scanned the room. The room was entirely garbed in a happy Gryffindor red. So many happy conversations and good times happened in that room and on the couches in the center of the alcove. Harry ran up the stairs to his room and rested on his bed. Ron's bed, Dean's bed, and his own bed looked fresh and unused for all three of them were previously on the run. The others were messy and unmade. Harry remembered all of the late nights that he and his roommates had spent there. He smiled at all of the jokes and laughs that were shared. He also spent many late nights reading his potions book in sixth year and scrutinizing the Marauder's Map to see where Malfoy was and had disappeared to time after time.

Harry laid back in his bed. He could hardly believe that after years of struggle and fighting it was all over. Voldemort was dead, his followers were either killed or captured, and everyone was calm again. Many people had been killed in the process, good and bad, and it nearly killed Harry himself to remember them all.

Lily Potter

James Potter

Quirell

Cedric Diggory

Sirius Black

Albus Dumbledore

Bertha Jorkins

Bathilda Bagshot

Regulas Black

Hedwig

Alastor Moody

Nymphadora Tonks

Ted Tonks

Remus Lupin

Rufus Scrimgeour

Peter Pettigrew

Dobby

Bellatrix Lestrange

Professor Burbage

Colin Crevey

Vincent Crabbe

Fred Weasley

Severus Snape

Gregorovitch

Antonin Dolohov

Voldemort himself

Even Nagini

And fifty more

Harry was crying when he finished his mental list. Well over half of the people who died were on his side, fighting with him. Harry supposed that it was all worth it but he was hesitant to admit it to himself. He felt selfish. All of those people died for one person. Voldemort. They either died supporting him and fighting for him or they died fighting against him. Some of them had nothing to do with Voldemort; they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Cedric.

Harry turned to his back and threw his tear stained pillow aside. He was glad that it was finally over, but he wished that he could go back and change some things. Hewould've stopped Pettigrew from escaping somehow. He would've tried to save Cedric. He_ definitely_ would've saved Dobby.

Harry stood up and made one last lap around Hogwarts. Harry had come to the empty castle alone and did not regret his decision. He liked remembering old times; both the happy and the sad. Harry concluded that he was glad that he had done what he had done. Voldemort was defeated and many people were happy. The sadness paralleled the happiness but it was something that they could all get through together.

Outside of the castle, Harry soaked in the beautiful view of Hogwarts and the scenery and then Apparated to the Burrow where most of the survivors were gathered.

_And my future begins… now, _Harry thought to himself while he walked through the Burrow towards the living room. Saying goodbye to Hogwarts was hard for Harry. _I guess life starts with goodbye._ And all Harry wanted to do at that moment was hug and hold Ginny. And that's exactly what he did.

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**Yipee! Done! Thanks for reading! Please review. This is my first one-shot and I would like to know if I'm any good at them.**

**Also, please tell me if I got any facts wrong or got any of Harry's feelings wrong. And please tell me your feelings about the story.**

**Thank you!**

**jentrem99**


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